Hanoi will give daily reports on tap water quality following the oil contamination at the Da River Water Plant.

Hanoi citizens wait for clean water on October 17

According to Hanoi People's Committee, Hanoi Water Limited Company has used water from Duong River and other water plants to provide water to western districts like Dinh Cong, Thanh Xuan and Hoang Liet. 35,000 cubic metres of water was provided on October 15 and 60,000 cubic metres of water was provided on October 16 and 17 each.

Da River Water Plant has worked with SOS Environment JSC to deal with oil-contaminated land along Bang Stream to Dam Bai Lake. The oil has been blocked and will not run into the plant's reservoir. The company had stopped providing water to clean the tanks and pipes on October 15 and 16 and started providing water again.

However, it is advised that residents should only use tap water for washing and bathing only. Hanoi Water Limited Company will send water trucks to residential areas and bottled water to primary and nursery schools for cooking. Building management boards were asked to clean their water tanks by October 20.

People who live in areas that are provided with Duong River's water can use it for washing and cooking as usual.

Hanoi People's Committee will set up an inspection team led by the director of the Department of Construction and Hoa Binh Province People's Committee to monitor the situation and the damage control. The Department of Health and Hanoi Centre for Disease Control will take water samples from upstream, water plants and residential areas for tests. The results will be announced daily for public monitoring.

Hanoi authorities noted the seriousness of the incident which has badly affected the public.

Prosecution launched against oil contamination at Da River Water Plant

Deputy director of the Hoa Binh Provincial Department of Public Security, Nguyen Huu Duc, speaks at a press conference on October 17.

Police in the northern province of Hoa Binh has just announced a prosecution against the waste oil dumping in Ky Son District which contaminated tap water at the Da River Water Plant.

The information was announced by deputy director of the provincial Department of Public Security, Nguyen Huu Duc, at a press conference held on October 17.

The police official revealed that they have summoned some suspects involving in the oil dumping and the case is still under investigation.

"We will announce more details after the investigation completes," he said. 

Speaking at the press conference, Nguyen Dang Khoa, deputy director of the Vinaconex Water Supply Joint Stock Company which operates the Da River Water Plant refused to apologise and provide compensation to customers. He said that the company was the hardest-hit by the incident.

On the evening of October 8, local people in Ky Son District saw a 2.5-tonne truck discharging waste oil into the Tram Stream which lies about 800 metres away from a reservoir of the Da River Water Plant.

On October 10, residents in some districts in Hanoi reported a smell similar to burning plastic coming from their tap water supplied by the plant.

On October 15, authorities in Hanoi announced their investigation results which showed that tap water had styrene levels of between 1.3-3.6 times higher than normal in some areas.

Around 250,000 households in Hanoi are using tap water supplied by the Da River Water Plant.

Tien Phong/Dtinews

Hanoi's water pollution unable to be treated for now

Vinaconex Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Viwasupco), which purifies water to supply for a large part of Hanoi, did not clean the contaminated water but isolated it.

Perpetrator of tap water pollution will face prosecution

Hoa Binh province’s police have conducted an on-site examination and verified and traced the truck driver who discharged used oil illegally.